Two weeks after he was acquitted of the murder of his Tinder date, Gable Tostee has reportedly been paid a six-figure sum to appear on 60 Minutes.
Viewers reacted furiously to a promotional snippet of the interview released by Channel Nine this week, saying the network’s decision to pay for and broadcast the interview was disrespectful to the victim’s family.
The 30-year-old carpet layer from Brisbane was accused of murdering New Zealand woman Warriena Wright after a first date turned violent.
On October 19 a jury found Mr Tostee wasn’t responsible for Ms Wright’s death, despite locking her on the 14th-floor balcony she eventually fell from while trying to escape.
If #60minutes had any credibility left it has lost it paying for #Tostee interview Can't believe he profits from her death as well
— Chris Barrett 🐯 🇱🇻 (@selga55) November 5, 2016
https://twitter.com/paulapenfold/status/794662125964640256
Watch the preview:
“Can you understand why people would think you’re a cold, heartless, cruel bastard?” | NEXT WEEK on #60Mins, Gable Tostee breaks his silence pic.twitter.com/Ohmvkv9fMH
— 60 Minutes Australia (@60Mins) November 6, 2016
Sensationally, audio recordings made by Mr Tostee during their scuffle were heard in court, including Ms Wright’s screams and Mr Tostee’s yelling that she was a “psycho bitch”.
Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported on Saturday that the six-figure sum was the result of a bidding war between Channel Seven and Channel Nine.
The article quoted an unnamed Queensland Police senior detective who said police were disgusted and horrified by the “morally repugnant” decision to pay Tostee for an interview.
A spokesman for Channel Nine told The New Daily the network had a policy of not discussing payments for interview subjects.
‘People will say it’s too soon’
In the episode preview, Mr Tostee is asked why Ms Wright could be heard screaming the word “no” 33 times during the recording.
“Yeah, she was certainly trying to make a lot of noise,” Mr Tostee replies.
“Can you understand why many people would think you’re a cold, heartless, cruel bastard?” the reporter asks.
“When you put it that way, umm,” replies Mr Tostee, before the clip ends.
Gutter journalism at its best. I wont be watching. Why give this guy more publicity AND money?
— Aussie Shazza (@shazzadut) November 6, 2016
DeciderTV’s Steve Molk said the negative reaction to Channel Nine’s “chequebook journalism” was unsurprising.
“There are so many layers to this,” he told The New Daily.
“60 Minutes hasn’t exactly covered itself in glory this year. It’s been a real slippery-slide downhill.”
The show and Channel Nine weathered a firestorm of criticism and legal trouble when host Tara Brown and three other crew members were arrested for their part in a botched child abduction in Lebanon in April.
The network was criticised for bankrolling Australian mother Sally Faulkner’s plan to snatch her children from their father, who had allegedly reneged on co-parenting arrangements.
The four crew members were released from prison after Channel Nine paid Ms Faulkner’s estranged husband Ali Elamine a reported $500,000 to drop the charges.
Mr Molk said despite the fact 60 Minutes interviewer did not appear to be “pulling any punches” with Gable Tostee, some viewers would undoubtedly switch off out of anger.
“Some will think it’s too soon,” he said.
But, Mr Molk added, many people will want to watch it so they can then denounce it.
Anger at Tostee’s ‘milkshake challenge’
If Mr Tostee planned to keep a low profile following the court case he has been unsuccessful.
Mr Tostee, who changed his name to Eric Thomas during the court case, was featured in a Facebook post on Friday by café Gangster and Gatsby, congratulating him for guzzling the Godfather Gangster Shake, which includes five litres of ice cream.
The owner of the café, Sue Armstrong, told the Gold Coast Bulletin she didn’t realise the big-stomached stranger was at the centre of a high-profile murder case.
She said Mr Tostee had agreed to the social media coverage.
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